Anorexia Nervosa – A life-threatening eating disorder

Anorexia nervosa is a severe psychological disorder. It is a potentially life-threatening eating disorder. However, with the right treatment, rescue is possible.

Commonly this condition involves emotional challenges like an exaggerated fear of becoming overweight or obese and attaining an unrealistic body image. It often arises during the teenage years or early adulthood, but it can begin in the preteen years as well. Anorexia nervosa is estimated the third most common chronic illness among teens.

In the United States, eating disorders affect some 30 million men and women. Anorexia nervosa can develop in both men and women, but it is 10 times more common in females. Approximately 1 in every 100 American women experiences anorexia at some time.

There is a wide range of reasons for a person to develop anorexia. Its symptoms range from mild to severe. Anorexia can be fatal. In fact, anorexia has one of the highest mortality rates as compare to any other mental illness. However, effective treatments are accessible and recovery is possible if you’re struggling with anorexia. All it needs is determination, hard work and honesty with your treatment team and yourself.

Symptoms

Anorexia nervosa is a complex disorder, but the main indication is usually severe weight loss. The person may also talk about being overweight, while objective measures, such as BMI, tells something else about that person.

Behavioral changes may include a rejection to eat, exercising excessively, use of laxatives or self induced vomiting after consuming food. It mostly results in severe deficiency of nutrients.

Physical signs and symptoms resulting from a deficiency of nutrients include,

Severe loss of muscular mass

Listlessness, exhaustion, fatigue

Blood pressure, or hypotension

Light-headedness or dizziness

Hypothermia, or low body temperature, cold feet and hands

Constipation and bloated or upset stomach

Dry skin

Swollen hands and feet

Alopecia, or hair loss

Loss of menstruation or disturbance in periods

Infertility

Insomnia

Osteoporosis, or loss of bone density

Brittle nails

Asymmetrical or abnormal heart rhythms

Fine downy hair growing on the entire body, and increased facial hair

Vomiting, bad breath, and tooth decay, due to acid in the vomit

Anorexia nervosa is not only about escaping food, but it also fetches emotional challenges which include,

Excessive fear of being fat or overweight

Frequently weighing and measuring themselves and examining their bodies in the mirror

Fascination with food, for example, reading cookery books

Untruthful about food intake

Not eating or refusing to eat

Self-denial

Lack of emotion or a depressed mood

Reduced sex drive

Memory loss

Obsessive-compulsive behavior

Irritability

Over-exercising

Food and eating becomes associated with guilt. It may be problematic to talk to the person about a possible solution, as they will likely reject to acknowledge that anything is wrong.

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Causes

Anorexia has no single cause. It seems that a genetic predisposition is necessary but not enough for the development of the disorder. Twin and family studies, brain scans of affected and unaffected family members, and a current multicenter gene analysis support observations that anorexia is found in families with a perfectionist, obsessive, and competitive traits, and maybe also autistic spectrum traits.

Anorexia nervosa is precipitated as a coping mechanism against, for instance, transitions, developmental challenges, family conflicts, and academic pressures. Sexual abuse may precipitate anorexia but not more common than it would trigger other psychiatric disorders. The onset of adolescence and puberty are particularly common precipitants, but anorexia is also found without apparent precipitants in otherwise well-functioning families.

As mentioned above that single cause has been identified for anorexia nervosa. It probably happens as a result of biological, psychological and environmental factors.

The following risk factors have been linked with it,

Being susceptible to anxiety and depression

Having difficulty handling stress

Being excessively afraid, worried or doubtful about the future

Having a negative self-image

Being a perfectionist and desperately concerned about rules

Having eating problems in the duration of infancy or early childhood

Holding specific ideas concerning beauty and health, which may be influenced by culture or society

Having had an anxiety disorder during childhood

Experiencing a high level of emotional restraint or control over their own expression and behavior

The person may be excessively worried about their weight and shape, but this is not essentially the key factor. Between 33 to 50 percent of people with anorexia also have a mood disorder, such as depression, and around half have an anxiety disorder, such as social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This suggests that a low self-image and negative emotions may contribute, in some cases.

Anorexia nervosa can be developed in a person as a way of gaining control of some aspect of their life. As they apply to control their food intake, this feels like success, and so the behavior continues.

Diagnosis

An early diagnosis and quick treatment increase the chance of a good result. A full medical history can help with diagnosis.

The physician will ask about weight loss to the patient, how they feel about their weight, and, for females, about menstruation. It can be hard for the patient to open up and speak openly about themselves. It may take years to confirm a diagnosis, especially if the person was previously obese.

If the physician detects symptoms of anorexia nervosa, they may order tests to rule out other underlying medical conditions with similar signs and symptoms.

These include,

Diabetes

Chronic infections

Addison’s disease

Malabsorption

Immunodeficiency

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBS)

Cancer

Hyperthyroidism

These may include imaging scans, blood tests, and an electrocardiogram (ECG).

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Complications

Complications can disturb every body system, and they can be serious. Physical complications include,

Gastrointestinal problems include slow movement in the intestines, considerably when a person is severely underweight and eating too little, but this resolves by improving the diet. Dehydration can lead to highly concentrated urine. The kidneys usually recover as weight levels improve.

Hormonal problems also occur during adolescence, growth can be delayed by a lower level of growth hormones in the body. Normal growth resumes with a healthy diet. Bone may fracture also. Patients whose bones have not fully grown yet have a considerably higher risk of osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass, developing osteopenia, or reduced bone tissue. Timely diagnosis and treatment decrease the risk of complications.

Treatment

There is a common myth that anorexia can be treated if the person just starts eating, however, since there are so many other factors causing anorexia than food. Many sufferers think of the behaviors associated with anorexia as a useful way to cope. It is understood that anorexia is an illness that creates disordered thoughts, and treatment helps.

The first focus of treatment is re-establishing a healthy weight with a proper diet. Depending on the severity of disease and the complications, some individuals may need to be hospitalized. If individuals are badly malnourished or refuse to eat, they may need some time in the hospital.

There are also eating disorder treatment facilities that deal outpatient day programs that you attend. There, with a team of professionals, patients participate in individual and group therapies, nutrition education, and other treatment activities.

Some might see a therapist on weekly basis. Individual therapy can help the patient to adopt healthy ways of coping, change negative thoughts and behaviors and reduce anxiety. In family-based therapy, families work together to resolve clashes. The professional therapist can also help in group therapy and give people the opportunity to connect with society.

Michelle Kwan has studied bio-medical sciences and loves to contribute her research into the field of health through her writing. Her expertise includes product reviews and health news reporting but she enjoys writing research-based news, the most.